


Till Death Do Us Part

by WHIMWriter



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Gen, Guns, Hurt/Comfort, Parasites, Survival, Suspense, Thriller, Violence, Zombie Apocalypse, Zombies, kpop
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-03-12
Packaged: 2019-03-27 04:32:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13873188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WHIMWriter/pseuds/WHIMWriter
Summary: The apocalypse has happened but in a bizarre way. Parasitic worms have been infesting humans and taking control of their bodies until they find a new deliciously fresh victim. And now 90% of the world is gone which leaves me and 6 million others fighting for survival.My name is Son Chaeyoung, and I am a survivor.(Mix of Last of Us, Walking Dead, and the game Last Days on Earth, of which I own none of them.)





	1. First Meeting

I'm cold. My stomach is twisted by endless hunger. There's crimson staining my clothes, and the dry wind causes my chapped lips to bleed. It whips up small tornadoes of dust and weeds, but my eyes are focused on the tiny patch of warm yellow light in the distance, almost beckoning me. 

It's probably just my eyes playing tricks on me. I am exhausted after all, and my head aches from when I took a not-too-elegant spill and tapped my noggin on a conveniently placed rock. Well, I don't think it was hard enough to cause a concussion, but you never know, so I could be hallucinating. I trudge as best as I can, feeling my muscles start to stiffen from the cooling temperatures and I wrap my arms around chest, trying to savor the last bit of warmth I can offer myself. 

It's been like this for...awhile. That's all I can say the least. The apocalypse started something like eight years ago, but honestly, from the day the news was released that a batch of deadly parasites had been accidentally set free from some top secret, government-funded lab, and the first person had been infected, it just became one long, never-ending nightmare. 

Let me explain. Our type of apocalypse isn't exactly... _normal._ Normally, people conjure the idea that zombies are caused by dead reanimating from some disease and wanting to eat brains, which probably makes a hella good comic strip and television series. However, what's happening now is different. But it is just as disgusting. 

In a laboratory (some nine or ten years prior to today), scientists were experimenting with parasites. Yes, those little creatures that freeload on others, including humans, until they decide to abandon ship and find a new host for their dastardly schemes. Well, anyways, the scientists decided to try and mixsome of those parasites. Two of the ones they used was a tapeworm (a "cestode") which can infect humans, and a hairworm that infects insects ("chordode formosanus"). Which ended up with something even creepier. A human-infecting parasite that could take control over a human's body even after death. 

Like most parasites, the symptoms were usual. Gastrointestinal distress (nausea, vomiting, stomach pain), bloody excrements, rashes, and fatigue. Within a couple days, however, it quickly can turn sour. The parasite begins to develop, like a baby (ewwwwww) in the intestinal tract of its host, but its main objective is to enter the spinal cord. Here, it has some sort of ability to tamper with the nervous system and brain, and fake movement. After this happens, then hell breaks loose after the possession. Excessive loss of blood, self-harm, and loss of skin and hair. During this time, it can go from a centimeter in length to nearly a full meter. 

The worse part is that the parasite travels fastest and multiplies in fresh water (salt water kills it), forcing water to be conserved in heavily reinforced and difficult to obtain containers. Several drugs can kill the parasite but are generally extremely rare and only found in the highest tech labs. 

It spread. It quite literally spread like a plague. Countries with poorer populations were affected the quickest due to the close living quarters and poor hygienic standards. Eventually, the inevitable happened; the parasites traveled across borders, spreading worldwide. Save a handful of unreached provinces surrounded by large bodies of salt water, most nations were destroyed. 

Now, it's no better. Nearly 90% of the world's population has been depleted. Only about 6 million survivors remain spread across the planet. The parasites are now less numerous but still can provide a threat to any unassuming survivor. 

Which is why I keep my eyes peeled as I head toward the illumination in the distance. Who am I? Let me introduce myself.

* * *

 

My name is Chaeyoung. I'm about 18 years old (I haven't really kept track of the days and when my last birthday was, so...). My parents...my parents are gone. I don't exactly know where or when, but they disappeared. I can't say I'm a pessimist, but given the circumstances, they're probably dead.

When the parasites came to our town, the whole city was a mob. Everyone wanted out. Away from the danger. They didn't realize they were more exposed to the risks away from their homes. Mom and Dad went outside, and I never heard from them again. 

 

I hid. For a very long time actually. Curled up in our tiny apartment, with the door locked, newspaper shoved in ever crack and our water taps shut. For food, I had to nibble stale crackers, dried nuts, and candy at an incredibly slow rate just to make them last. I only allowed myself a sip of water to conserve the fluid. I was becoming malnourished. No nutrition, just empty calories. I couldn't stay hidden for this long. So I came out. And there was...nobody. It was like the world had gone silent. The birds were gone, and the sun was hidden behind a thick grey-brown haze that coated the sky like a toxic fog. Everything seemed crumbled. Windows were smashed. Cement sidewalks cracked from thousands of pounding feet. Cars left abandoned on the streets. But what really got to me was the stillness. Nothing was alive except for me. I could still hear my heartbeat, reverberating too loudly in my ears. How was I alive? 

I scavenged. I had my elementary school backpack sagging on my shoulders. I visited the old grocer. Inside was a complete mess. Shattered wine glasses stained the white tile a sickly reddish-purple, almost like blood, I remember shuddering. The meat in the deli was spoiled and smelled horrible, but the dried foods seemed a little less worse-for-wear. I remember grabbing handfuls of bags, not caring what they were and shoving them into my bag. When it's the apocalypse, beggars can't be choosers. Then I got as many water bottles as possible and shoved them in as well. It made my pack feel like it weighed a grand two tons, but it was necessary. 

I wasn't sure if I needed a weapon. Did I? Those parasites were hidden under the skin of humans. I wasn't sure if I could...could do the act of killing. I needed something at least for self-defense. There could be thugs and other predatorial people still lurking. Finally, I found myself a steel bar. It was slightly heavy and my fingers barely wrapped around the end of it, but it would probably put a few dents in someone's head if the situation called for it. 

But since it will take me probably 100 chapters to go over what exactly happened in from then to now, I'll just say I got here in more or less one piece. My priority now is getting to the light. It's starting to get dark and much colder. My inner sense tells me I have to speed this up. Ignoring the rough debris poking through my already ripped jeans (let me tell you, I did not buy them in that state...) 

As I get closer, I realize with both happiness and apprehension that this is not just a single building, but a collection of makeshift huts - a survivor camp. I hold my breath and advance carefully. I don't want to be seen as a threat. Maybe they're friendly. Maybe finally I'll find some allies. 

"Hello?" I say at first softly, afraid. Then louder. "Hello!?" There's a scuffling of movement and I put my hands up defensively.  "I'm not an enemy. I'm just a lost survivor."

 

There's a metallic creaking that makes me jump and I turn to see a gate slowly swinging open. I walk cautiously through it and let my eyes adjust to the warm light from a lamp hanging on a nearby post. 

"Stop where you are. Drop any weapons and on your knees. NOW!" By now, I'm scared. It sounds like a woman's voice, but it's strong and rough. Maybe this was a mistake. 

I look up and noticed I'm surrounded by eight pairs of eyes. Each of the owners is pointing a gun at me and I realized this was probably a very, very bad idea. 


	2. One of Them

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chaeyoung finds that the group of survivors she encountered are not quite like how she expected...

"Uh...Hi..." I try to say as I put my hands up defensively, indicating I'm unarmed. Instead, my words catch in my throat and I squeak like a pitiful creature. "P-please don't kill me." 

"Who are you?" The original voice asks. She steps out of the shadows, revealing a woman with long brown hair and a leather vest. She's rather stockily-built but athletic, and her brown eyes piece mine as she repeats her question, waving her gun precariously but confidently. "Answer me: Who are you?"

"I'm...my name is Chaeyoung," I finally say, knowing my surname is pretty much useless. "Are you going to kill me?"

 She pauses then holsters her gun before eyeing me carefully. "You don't look like much of a threat, but I'm not taking chances. Lock 'er up, you two." 

To be honest, I don't know whether to be relieved or offended that I don't look like a threat. But for I get a chance to contemplate my feelings on the matter, a pair of woman take me (surprisingly gently) by the arms and leads me to "lock up" which in reality was just a bunch of sharpened logs tied together by some heavy rope. Not the most secure containment system, but hey, who am I to judge?

The taller one tosses me in and shrugs. "She isn't as scary as she seems, ya know. Trust me. We've all been here at least once, maybe twice, as part of this group. She just wants to scare ya. See what you're made of, you get me?"

"Um..." I'm confused. "What?"

"Oh c'mon," says the (marginally) shorter one, grinning. "What she means is that our leader, Jihyo, is all bark and no bite. She hates weakness. Don't worry, you'll probably be part of us sooner than you can say 'Cestoda formosanus'." She winks charmingly. 

"T-thanks."

The taller smiles. "I'm Sana, the 'medic', and this is Momo, our defensive coordinator. We work together as the defense team. And you said you're Chaeyoung?" She offers a roughened leather glove through the "bars" of the "cell". "Nice to meet you." I hesitantly shake the appendage, before I hear the loud talk. 

"Shit," Momo hisses, looking over her shoulder. "We gotta go back. Jihyo's waiting for us. See you around, Chaengie." 

I watch the two scurry their way back to the clearing and scratch my head. "Chaengie?"

"Why were you talking to the captive?" The woman who I assume now as "Jihyo" shouts at the pair. Her voice is powerful and easily carries through the air. "You know the rules!"

"Eh, we know what your plans are, anyway," says Sana nonchalantly, easily, smoothly. "Rough her up a bit, then let her join." 

Jihyo glares at her. "What if that wasn't my intentions at all?"

Momo laughs. "What were you gonna do, then? Push her back into the cold, harsh, infected land? You know you'd never do that. We know it, you know it."

"Would I?" Jihyo challenges, but it's obvious she's quickly losing ground.  

"No, you wouldn't," answers Sana firmly, her arm over the leader's shoulders. "Jihyo, you really needn't put up this facade." Her voice is gentle but pleading. "It doesn't work with any of us now. We  _know_  you."

Jihyo heaves a gusty sigh and rolls her eyes. "Fine. Let her go. If she turns on us on...well... I'm watching her like a hawk."

Momo comes bounding back toward me, with a childish grin and shining eyes and pulls me out of the wooden enclosure, ironically more roughly than when I was put in. She gently pulls me toward the center of the encampment, up to Jihyo. Her face is stern and she looks me over from head to toe. 

Sana disappears and reappears dragging people from some of the tents over to me, talking wildly. "As long as you stay with us, you might as well get to know the others. This is Jeongyeon, our strategist and cook-" The taller of the two waves a friendly hand. "And this is Tzuyu; she's our youngest and firearm specialist."

"Hi," Tzuyu says, a bit curt I guess, but nonetheless; wow, she's pretty. My breath catches in my throat a little. Actually, everyone I've seen here is really, really good-looking.

"H-hi. If you didn't hear, my name is Chaeyoung. Nice to meet you."

Momo brings a whole herd with her, some talking louder than the others. "This is Nayeon. She's our resident granny." A loud laugh, followed by several death-inducing glares, fills the air. "Sorry, she hates that title, but it's accurate." 

"Okay, okay," bursts out the brunette, irritated. "Enough of that."

Momo chuckles. "This is Mina. She's really quiet and our sniper. Aside from that, she helps Jeongyeon with strategical planning." The aforementioned person only bobs her head modestly and steps back beside Sana.  _She really is quiet,_  I note to myself. 

"This fine young woman is Dahyun," Momo introduces the pale-skinned, and equally lacking in vertical dimensions, girl. "We consider her our scout since she's small and she can see things that we can't. That's why we call her "Eagle Eyes"." 

Dahyun offers a hand. "You look to be about my age. Hope we get along!" Her perkiness made me feel more comfortable. I nod and grip her palm firmly. She raises an eyebrow at my strength, but this expression quickly turns to one of eagerness. "We'll get you rollin' along with our standard procedures in no time." 

"Well, that's everyone," Sana says, tapping her boot on the hard-packed dirt. "Think you have it?"

I try to recall all the names and their positions as they had told me, but I keep getting messed up. "So...uh...Tzuyu's the chef and Jeongyeon's the scout...and um...Mina's the cook and Dahyun's the sniper. Oh, and Jihyo's the granny, right?"

There's a collective groan, with a few snickers tossed here and there. "Not quite," chuckles Jeongyeon. "Don't worry, new one. You'll get it soon."

"I hope so," I mutter, glancing over and noticing Jihyo looks quite offended by the "old granny" title.  

"Anyways," Dahyun says. "It's getting late. We should retire for the night. We have rotation duty to watch for Infected overnight." She smiles proudly, almost teasingly. "Luckily, newbie, you get the first shift. 4 hours and then you can bust." 

"What!" I exclaim. "Do Parasitics even survive in this cold weather?" My nose and mouth start to feel numb from the now biting temperatures.

"Certain kinds can and will," Jihyo speaks up authoritatively. "Which is why we take precautions such as guard duty to prevent Parasitics from breaching our domains." 

"Don't worry, you have me to stay up with you," Momo half smiles, half groans. She hands me a thick scratchy cloth and something of heavy metal. Under the dim light of the few lamps dispersed around us, I see she handed me a wool blanket and a...gun. 

"I...I don't know how to use one..." I gulp, turning the weapon over in my hand and feeling the coolness in my palm. It feels hefty, solid,  _deadly_. 

"Just point it where you want it to hit and pull the trigger," Momo remarks offhandedly, shoving her own handgun into her belt. "Let's go. Our lookout post is just over there." I hurry after her, my legs barely keeping up with her long strides. My breath comes out as white clouds as we navigate to an elevated wooden platform. "It's easier to watch from here because of it's height," Momo explains as she helps me climb up. 

I squint. She's right. Even with barely an illumination within the fences of the camp, it still glows brightly in the bleak darkness of the deserted lands. "Make yourself comfortable," murmurs Momo, pulling the blanket tighter around her shoulders. "This will probably feel like the longest four hours of your life."

I only crack a weak smile and imitate her movement. "So..." As we get comfortable. "How'd you get here?"

"Mm?" Momo hums out. 

"I mean, how did you find here...um...them?"

"Like our group?" She shrugs. "Well, I started out as a vagabond. A scavenger. Took what I needed and it didn't matter from whom. Most of us had that origin, except for Mina and Jeongyeon. They had a military background, which is why they are our tactical force. I first met Nayeon, Jeongyeon, and Jihyo on the road traveling between Sagos and Nin." She tilts her head up and I follow her gaze. The sky is a myriad of colors, more stars in the sky than I thought would be possible.

"We trusted each other, which is huge, especially back then. Especially Jihyo surprised me. She had a tough background, and because of that, she tries hard not to show weakness. She is actually a big ol' softie once you get to know her, but trust me, you don't want to get on her bad side. 

"Oh."

"Yeah. We had to start at square 1. We traveled as a small party, with limited supplies and few weapons. It was hard. Then we met Sana and Dahyun during a small skirmish in Chathe. We saved their butts and in return, they helped us comb through the few neglected homes over there."

"Were there Parasitics?" I question. 

"Yes," I see her jaw tighten. "Many. Almost too many. We nearly didn't make it out alive. Nayeon hurt her knee pretty bad, and she still limps occasionally." She sighs. "We did what we had to do, but sometimes I still wonder if our choice was the right one."

"You're here right now," I say softly. "That's what counts, right?"

"Yes." She puts a hand on my shoulder, bringing my full attention to her. "Chaeng, our lifestyle is not easy. We  _work_  together to  _keep_  us together. That means, our day is never over. As you can see, we work through the night. You'll have much more freedom in the wastelands, and I can't guarantee your safety here, either. We've had a lot of close calls."

"No," I say firmly, resolutely. "I'll stay. I'm about as safe here as anywhere. And I'll definitely do my part. You can count on me."

Momo beams and offers her fist. I bump it with my own. 

Somehow it felt so good to be with other humans again. 

I lean against her, and our body heat helps keep each other warm, making the hours pass by quicker. 

Quicker...

_Quicker..._

* * *

 

The next thing I know, I'm being shaken awake by Momo. "Wakey, wakey. You kind of skimped on your shift, Chaeyoung," She laughs. "I'll keep it easy on you, but next time, try not to. You'll deal with bigger problems from our lady leader." 

"Hummmm," I yawn and rub my eyes. "Sorry about that. Is it over?"

"Yep. Come, I'll lead you to our sleeping area." I follow her dazedly through the maze of tents and other buildings, and finally (after what seems like forever to my drowsy mind) arrive at a large tent. 

"There's no real assigned bedding," Momo explains, taking off her boots and tucking them into the corner of the structure. I follow her example. "It's just a big pile of blankets anyways. Make yourself comfortable." I lose sight of where she goes because there's no light inside the tent, but I whisper, " _Thanks,"_ and lay down.

A pile of nine women in probably the coldest part of the wastelands doesn't sound like the most comfortable option, but the amount of body heat they produced helped me fall asleep almost immediately. 

 

 

For once, I feel sheltered. For once, I feel safe. For once, I feel warm. 

For once, I feel like I can survive. 

Because now, I am one of them. 

 


End file.
